Rudbeckia plant named ‘ET RDB 949’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Rudbeckia  plant named ‘ET RDB 949’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; freely flowering habit; large long-lasting single-type inflorescences with orange yellow-colored ray florets positioned above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and good postproduction and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea purpurea X Rudbeckia hirta.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ET RDB 949’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO A RELATED APPLICATION & STATEMENT REGARDING PRIORDISCLOSURES BY INVENTORS/APPLICANTS:

This application claims priority to a European Community Plant Breeders'Rights application filed on Oct. 1, 2021, application number 2021/2439.There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed PlantBreeder's Rights documents.

The Inventors/Applicants assert that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventors/Applicants.Inventors/Applicants claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C.102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but lessthan one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofRudbeckia plant, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea X Rudbeckiahirta and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ET RDB 949’.

The new Rudbeckia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Boijl, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and freely branchinginterspecific Rudbeckia plants with large long-lasting and attractiveinflorescences on strong peduncles.

The new Rudbeckia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors in Boijl, The Netherlands in August, 2017 of a proprietaryselection of Echinacea purpurea identified as code designation 1950, notpatented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection ofRudbeckia hirta identified as code designation RB 2503, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Rudbeckia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inBoijl, The Netherlands in July, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Rudbeckia by in vitro meristem culturein a controlled greenhouse environment in Boijl, The Netherlands sinceAugust, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Rudbeckiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Rudbeckia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘ET RDB 949’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘ET RDB 949’ as a new and distinct Rudbeckiaplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading        and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large long-lasting single-type inflorescences with orange        yellow-colored ray florets positioned above the foliar plane on        strong peduncles.    -   5. Good postproduction and garden performance.

Plants of the new Rudbeckia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Rudbeckia are shorter than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Rudbeckia are larger and        more uniformly mounding than inflorescences of plants of the        female parent selection.

Plants of the new Rudbeckia differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Rudbeckia are more compact than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Rudbeckia have smaller leaves than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Rudbeckia have smaller inflorescences than        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Rudbeckia can be compared to Rudbeckia hirta XRudbeckia hybrida ‘ET RDB 18-30’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.32,891. Plants of the new Rudbeckia differ primarily from plants of ‘ETRDB 18-30’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Rudbeckia are slightly taller and narrower        than plants of ‘ET RDB 18-30’.    -   2. Plants of the new Rudbeckia have fewer and larger        inflorescences per plant than plants of ‘ET RDB 18-30’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Rudbeckia have more ray        florets than inflorescences of plants of ‘ET RDB 18-30’.    -   4. Plants of the new Rudbeckia and ‘ET RDB 18-30’ differ in ray        floret color as plants of the new Rudbeckia have orange        yellow-colored ray florets whereas plants of ‘ET RDB 18-30’ have        yellow orange and dark red bi-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Rudbeckia showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible toobtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographsmay differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newRudbeckia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘ET RDB 949’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘ET RDB 949’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 2-liter containers during the summerin an outdoor nursery in Boijl, The Netherlands and under culturalconditions typical of commercial Rudbeckia production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 16° C. toabout 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 8° C. to about 15°C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the detaileddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea X Rudbeckia hirta ‘ET    RDB 949’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Echinacea            purpurea identified as code designation 1950, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Rudbeckia            hirta identified as code designation RB 2503, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to eight days at            substrate temperatures about 15° C. and ambient temperatures            about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plants, summer.—About four            weeks at substrate temperatures about 15° C. and ambient            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; fleshy; color,            typically close to 162C, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,            upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant            habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and            moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 65 cm to 70 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 50 cm to 55 cm.        -   Lateral branches (peduncles).—Length: About 35 cm to 50 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm            to 7 cm. Angle: Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 143A            sparsely covered with spots, close to 187A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 10 cm to 17 cm.        -   Width.—About 5 cm to 7 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate to obovate.        -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate to acute.        -   Margin.—Dentate; undulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; rough.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 145A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,            close to 145A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type and arrangement.—Single-type inflorescence form with            elliptic to oblanceolate-shaped ray florets and tubular disc            florets; inflorescences borne on terminal and axillary            peduncles above and beyond the foliar plane on strong            peduncles; inflorescences face upright to slightly            outwardly; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a            capitulum.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten weeks            after planting; long flowering period, plants flower            continuously from mid-July until the end of October in The            Netherlands.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Good postproduction longevity with            inflorescences lasting about eight to ten weeks on the            plant; inflorescences persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit,            typically more than 20 inflorescences per plant.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Diameter:            About 1.5 cm. Shape: Round to ovoid. Color: Close to 143C.        -   Inflorescences.—Diameter: About 14 cm. Depth (height): About            3 cm to 5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.            Receptacle height: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Receptacle diameter:            About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Receptacle color: Close to 144A.        -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            20 in about one or two whorls. Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm.            Width: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Shape: Elliptic to oblanceolate.            Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Rough, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 17A; towards the base, slightly darker than 17A. When            opening, lower surface: More grey than 15B. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 17A; towards the base, slightly            darker than 17A; venation, similar to lamina colors; color            does not change with subsequent development. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 17A; venation, close to 17A; color            does not change with subsequent development.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Numerous disc florets massed at            center of receptacle. Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Width:            About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Obtuse.            Color, when opening and fully opened: Apex: Close to 200A to            200B. Mid-section: Whiter than 76D. Base: Close to 155C.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 15            to 20 arranged in about two to three whorls. Length: About 2            cm to 4 cm. Width: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex:            Acute to obtuse. Base: Fused to receptacle. Margin: Entire;            slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough,            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 138A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on ray and disc            florets): Quantity per floret: Numerous. Filament length:            About 2 mm to 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 200A to 200B.            Anther shape: Round. Anther length: About 1 mm to 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 200A to 200B. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 21A. Gynoecium (present            only on disc florets): Pistil length: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: Close to 200B. Style            length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Style color: Close to 200B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not            been observed on plants of the new Rudbeckia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Rudbeckia    have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common    to Rudbeckia plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Rudbeckia have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures from about −20° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Rudbeckia plant named ‘ET RDB 949’as illustrated and described.